Reuters: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a $68 billion increase in military spending next year with legislation that also provides money to start construction of President Donald Trump's Mexican border wall.
The bill increased spending on the U.S. capability to defend itself from foreign missile attacks amid growing concerns about North Korea's increasing capacity to hit the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile after it successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in July.
The money for the wall is dwarfed by the $658.1 billion the bill would provide for the Defense Department, an increase of $68.1 billion above the fiscal year 2017 enacted level and $18.4 billion above Trump's budget request.
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